Differential time-reckoning device



Feb. 6, 1940. A. MANSEAU 2,139,639

DIFFERENTIAL TIME-RECKQNING DEVICE Filed Dec. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1lllllll III II I II' Mae/0 0x Feb. 6, 1940. 2,189,639

A. L. MANSEAU DIFFERENTIAL TIME-RECKONING DEVICE Fiied Dec. 12, 1938 2Sheets Sheet 2 41/ 15 13 a 11 Z7 Z5 Pa m-dish. a mo DII'I'IIINTIALTIIII-IEOKON IN G DIVIOI AlfredLManseau.Weloott,0eun.,a-ignorto TheWltes'm clock Company, Waterbury,

Oonneetient om, aeorporatienof Application December 12. ms, Serial No.24am scum.

. having differential time-reckoning devices of the foregoingpermanently embodied 10- therein.

The primary obiect of the present invention is character ,to provide animproved construction and coordinated arrangement of parts in atime-reckoning device of this character whereby time-meas- 15 urementsdependent upon or related to the intervening time-interval between agiven set-place at which the reckoning is made and a selected distantplace may be accurately and rapidly determined.

20 One object of the invention is to provide an improved correlatedarrangement of graduated timeand pl'a'ce-horological-members or dialswhereby the magnitude of the time-interval intervening between a givenset-place at which the 25 reckoning is made and a selected distant placemay be determined by a relative adjustment of one of the graduatedhorological-members or dials with respect to the other to correspond tothe time-intervals, respectively, which inter- 30- vene between each ofthe said places and a prime meridian at the earth's surface such,for-example, as the meridian of Greenwich.

A, further object of the present invention'is to provide an improvedcorrelated arrangement of :zsparts in a-time-reckoning device'of thischaractenwhereby the magnitude of the time-interval intervening betweenthe given set-place and the selected distant place, may be correlatedwith the indicated time of a' timepiece at the given 4.0 set-place todetermine the time indicated by a- -.timepiece at the selecteddistant-place.

: Still another {abject of this invention is to provide an improvedcorrelated arrangement-of a time-dial; a graduated place-dial; and 45 atimeand place-correlating marker cooperatively arranged with respect tosaid dials, whereby the desired time-measurements may be expeditiouslyvaccomplished for various purposes. -A particular object of the inventionis to provide a combined timepiece and differential timereckoning deviceof improved construction.

:RWith above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilledin the art from the 55 present disclosure. this invention includes allfeatures in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art.

In the accompanying drawings, which reprezent one mode of reducing theinvention topracice:

Fig. l is a face view of a pocket timepiece em bodylng the presentinvention;

Fig. 3 is an edgewise elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged rearelevational view of the watch shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Pig. '4is an enlarged axial section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig.- 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the time-and-piacecorrelating -marke'r or pointer;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detached perspective view of the graduatedtime-horological-member or dial; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detached perspective innergface view of thegraduated place-dial.

For the purposes of illustration, the drawings show an adaptation of thepresent invention to a pocket timepiece or watch.

In the form shown, the watchcase comprises a substantially cup-shapedfront case-member generally designated by the reference character ill,and a substantially cup-shaped back casemember generally designated bythe reference caracter ii, the said front and back case-members beingtelescopically interfltted, each with re-' spect to the other. Thefronhcase-member comprises a rearwardly-presented coupling-flange i2 anda bezel-portion l3 which is provided with a sight-opening ll withinwhich is fitted a crystal II. The back case-member Ii comprises aforwardly-presented coupling-flange ii which is telescopicallyinteriitted with the rearwardlypresented coupling-flange I! of the frontcasemember and a flat circular back-wall i'l having an outwardly-beveledannular wall-portion LI locatedimm'ediatel'y adjacent to the outerperiph- 40 cry of the'saidback case-member ii.

A watch-dial I! isinterposed between the crystal l5 and a frontmovement-plate 20, a back movement-plate 2i being rigidly united to thefront movement-plate 20 and spaced therefrom by means of pillars one ofwhich is shown at 22 in. Fig. 4. Journaled in the front and backmovement-plates II and 2|, is a centeror minute-arbor 23. cooperativelyarranged with respect the watch-dial I9, is a pointer-set comprising aminute-hand 24 mounted upon the centeror minute-arbor 23 and anhour-hand 28 which is carried by an hour-sleeve 26 journaied uponthecenter-- or minute-arbor 23. Mounted on the hour-sleeve 2' between thedial l9 and place-dial which is generally designated by the referencecharacter 32, the said graduated placedial being provided with a centralaperture 33 in registry with the aperture 3| in the back-wall ll.Extending through the apertures 3| and 33 is a bushing 33, which isriveted at its inner and outer ends to the back-wall I1 and graduatedplace-dial 32, respectively, to retain these parts in preferably fixedrelation to each other. Extending through the bushing 34 is a pivot-postwhich is generally designated by the'reference character 35 andcomprises a shank-portion 33, an intermediate pivotal portion 31, and anenlarged head 33, the said intermediate pivotal portion 31 beingprovided with a diameter intermediate in size between that of theshank-portion 36 and the enlarged head 33. .The said shank-portion 38 ispreferably riveted at its inner end to the inner end of the bushing 3!.

A time-and-place correlating-marker or pointer, which is generallydesignated by the reference character 33, is provided with a ring-shapedcollar 40 by means of which it is pivotally mount ed at one end upon thepivotal portion 31 of pivot-post 35. Thesaid marker or pointer 33comprises, with the ring-shaped collar 43, a radial arm ll which isprovided with a radial placesighting slot 42 and a time-pointing tip 43.

The construction and arrangement of these parts is such that thetime-and-place correlating marker or pointer 39 is retained in snugfrictional engagement with the rear surface of the graduated place-dial32, so that while it is pivotally adjustable about the pivotal portion31 of the pivot-post 35, it is frictionally retained in any position towhich it may be adjusted on the graduated place-dial 32. During thecircular adj ustment of the time-and-place correlating marker or pointer39, its pointed tip 33 moves around the inner periphery of atime-interval-measuring annulus which is generally designated by thereference character ll.

The said annulus 44 is provided with an inner peripheral flange 45 whichis circumferentially interfltted with an outer peripheral flange 43 onthe graduated place-dial 32 for the purpose of retaining the saidannulus 44 in position on the back-wall ll of the back case-member IIand in adjusted relation to the graduated place-dial 32. Around itsouter periphery, the said annulus 4| is provided with aforwardly-deflected marginal flange 31 in rotational engagement with thebeveled annular wall-portion I8 of the back-wall I! of the backcase-member II. The outer marginal flange ll of thetime-interval-measuring annulus 44 may be knurled or otherwise roughenedto facilitate the rotational adjustment of the said annulus by means ofthe fingers.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it will be seen .that the graduated place-dial32 is provided with a circular series of space-stalls or boxes 48 ofspearhead outline, which are preferably twenty-four in number, tocorrespond to the twenty-four hours occupied in each complete rotationof. the earth. Printed on the graduated place-dial within thesespace-stalls are place-indicia markings or names 43 representing places-or localities which are spaced from the selected prime meridian on theearth's surface by intervenins time-intervals (represented by anarithmetic series of 24 onehour periods) corresponding to the number ofhours in each rotation of the earth. In the present instance, the saidprime meridian is assumed to be the meridian of Greenwich.

Printed within similarly-arranged space-stalls or boxes 30 on thetime-interval-measuring annulus l4, and arranged in circular seriesthereon, are numbers, designated by the reference character ll. As shownin the drawings the annulus 43 is divided into two series of numbers 3|,each series comprising numbers 1 to 12 indicating the A. M. and P. M.hours of the day. The numbers 5| Just referred to represent inarithmetic progression, the time-intervals respectively interveningbetween successive places on the place-dial and the meridian atGreenwich.

It will be understood, therefore, that with the indicia-marking"London-Paris" placed in registry with the numeral "12" under thecaption Noon" at the top of the said annulus 34, the time-intervalsintervening between the successive places itemized in clockwise orderfrom the London-Paris marking and the meridian of Greenwich, will berepresented by the arithmetic series of numbers extending around thetime-intervalmeasuring annulus 44 in the same direction.

For the purpose of exemplifying the various purposes that may be servedby the differential time-reckoning device shown and described in theaccompanying drawings and specification, the following examples may benoted.

For one reason or another, it not infrequently happens that some party,such as a person, business concern, government oflicial, etc., suddenlyfinds it to be of paramount importance to know the time of day in afar-distant city or locality corresponding to the time of day in theset-place wherein the said party happens to be located. Necessity mayarise for taking some immediate action such as, for example, inconnection with an option or contract that is to lapse at a specifictime during the day in which the emergency arises. It may be, forexample, that a party located in New York City is confronted with animmediate necessity to cable instructions to a far-distant city such,for example, as Bombay, to save or to secure some valuable interest. Forthe purpose of ascertaining accurately and at once, the extent of timedifference between two points such as New York and Bombay that may begiven to deliberation before the action is taken,

the following procedure may be followed.

A glance at the time in New York (which may be readily determined byconsulting the front fade of the watch) enables the party in question toshift the time-interval-measuring annulus until the time-markingthereoncorresponding to the time in New York, is brought into registry with theplace-marking New York" on the graduated place-dial. To avoid possibleerror in reading, the time-and-place correlating-marker 39 may be movedabout its pivot until the placemarking Bombay on the place -dial isframed within the place-sighting slot 42, whereupon the time of day inBombay is made instantly available by reading the hour-number on thetime-interval annulus at the time-pointing tip of the marker or pointer.I a

As will be apparent the arrangement of a conventional timepiece anddiflerential time-reckoning device as a unitary structure greatlyfacilitates the determination of the time difference between two placesas the time of day at the set place is readily available.

Another hypothetical instance may be taken in connection with someproject which suddenly calls for emergency instructions to be sent to anumber of distant places. By presetting the device in the mannerdescribed above, the time of day in each of the several distant placesmay be accurately and rapidly ascertained in the fore- .going manner. Itis readily seen that in cases of this nature, the time-element mayautomatically exclude some places from further consideration and, at thesame time, enable the party in question to give preferentialconsideration to some places over other places.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than thoseherein set forth without departing from the spirit and essentialcharacteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are,therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalencyrange of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. In combination with a timepiece-casing having a back casing-plateprovided with a beveled annular surface adjacent the outer peripherythereof; a circular disk concentrically arranged with the said beveledannular surface and having a marginal flange axially spaced from theback casing-plate and terminating within the said beveled annularsurface. the said circular disk being provided with graduatedhorological placemarkings; a horological annulus rotationally mounted onthe back casing-plate and having its inner marginal edge rotatablyinterfltted with the said marginal flange of the circular disk, the saidannulus being provided with graduated timemarkings arranged to be placedselectively in registration with the place-markings on the said circulardisk and having a knurled outer peripheral flange in rotationalengagement with the said beveled annular surface of the backcasing-plate at the outer periphery thereof. 2. In combination with theback-plate of a timepiece; a place-indicating member mounted on the saidback-plate and provided with graduated place-indicia markings; atime-indicating member mounted on the said back-plate in cooperativerelation to the place-indicating member and provided with graduated.time-indioia markings; a normally-stationary one of the said membersbeing optionally-movable relatively to the other to effect a selectivefixed registration of a particular one of the time-markings on the saidtime-indicating member with a particular place-mark on the saidplace-indicating member; and a normany-stationary optionally-movabletime-andplace correlating-marker constructed and arranged to be movedinto selective registry with the pre-registered particular timeandplacemarkings on the said timeand place-indicatingmembers.

3. A diflerential time-reckoning device, comprising: a graduatedplace-member of a disk-like form carrying a plurality of place-indiciamarkings; agraduated time-member in the form of an annulus coaxialiyarranged therewith, the said time-member bearing a number'oftime-indicia markings and having its inner-marginal edge disposed injuxtaposition to the outer marginal edge of said graduated place-member;at least one of the said members being rotationally-adjustable,relativelyto the other to selectively-register a particularplace-indicia markin with a particular time-indicia marking; andnormally-stationary optionally-movable time-and-place correlating-markerpivotally mounted at one end about the common axis of the said graduatedplaceand time-members and movable optionally into registration with theselectively pre-registered placeand time-indicia markingson the saidmembers. I

4. A differential time-reckoning device, comprising:cooperatively-arranged reckoning-memtime-indicia markings on the said,reckoningmembers; the said normally-stationary and optionally-movablereckoning-member. and correlating member having juxtaposed. portionsmovable in parallel paths and constructed to be moved from a position inwhich they are in coordinated registration with one indicia-marking onthe flxed reckoning-member to a position in which they are incoordinated registration with another indicia-marking on the said flxedreckoning-member.

5. A watch provided with a back-casing member having a flat centralwall-portion and an outer beveled peripheral wall-portion; a disk-likereckoning-member with place-indicia markings thereon, secured to theflat central wall-portion of the back-casing member and having an outer'peripheral flange spaced axially therefrom; a normally-stationaryoptionally-movable time-annulus having time-indicia markings and havingits inner peripheral edge in interlocking rotational engagement with thesaid outer peripheral flange of the disk-like reckoning-member and inflatwise rotational engagement with the said flat central wall-portionof the back-casing member; the said time-annulus being optionallymovable to effect a selective registration with a predeterminedplace-indicia marking on the said disk-like reckoning-member; and anormally-stationary optionally-movable time-and-place marked pivoted atone end about the common axis of the place-disk and time-annulus andmovable independently into selective registration with preregisteredplaceand time-indicia markings on the place-disk and time-annulus andsubsequent- 1y movable to effect a registration of the same time-indiciamarking with another place-indicia marking in coordinated arrangementwith the saidtime-and-place marker.

- AIFRlllDhMANSEAU.

